GPUs

2017 has been a great year in the tech space, especially if you are a gamer. The market has been dominated for a while by Nvidia with it’s impressive powerhouse offerings, but AMD hasn’t been resting on their laurels and can also cater for those with more sensible budgets. So let’s take a look at the top 5 and determine the best graphics card for gaming available currently in 2017.

We will try and run through a fairly straight forward slice of the market with our round up, featuring the mid to top end of the spectrum. Therefore those seeking budget graphics cards can also benefit from our round up. Moreover it will explain some basic concepts that also apply to your PC build considerations.

As a result, these considerations include price, performance, aesthetics, cooling and overclocking potential. Among other things included. Power consumption and noise levels from the fan for example.

Alright then, lets take a look at which brand has the best graphics card for gaming.

There is quite a lot to be said about hardware refreshes these days. And the RX580 is a fine example of this. Therefore you see, beneath the impressive dual fan cooler beats the heart of a reworked, revamped and re-energized RX480.

While it’s certainly no giant slayer, the RX580 does offer a sweet spot on the more budget friendly side of our roundup. Because it definitely deserves a badge for being one of the ‘best bang for the buck’ in its price range. Although the card is somewhat of a power hungry beast, it draws significantly more juice than the more power efficient 1060. We still think that it offers great value for your money.

Keep an eye out for some deals and you could snag one at a great price. Is it the best graphics card for gaming? Maybe not really, but it can be if you’re on a budget.

The GTX 1060 manages to edge out the AMD card with it’s more powerful and efficient GPU. Which means quicker speeds and lower temperatures than what AMD’s offering. Moreover it manages to do this with less GDDR 5 memory to boot!

Moreover, prices on the GTX 1060 have also dropped dramatically in recent months. Therefore this has enabled the card to become a firm favorite for those that are seeking out great graphical performance. And it runs a cooler temperature than the RX580.

First of all, the card performs beautifully in HD gaming. With smooth game play and solid benchmark scores being the order of the day. Own a VR Headset? In the market for one? You’ll be pleased to know that this graphics card is “HD Ready.” And driver support is only getting better.

In conclusion this would have been a tricky choice a few months ago. However the price drops have made the GTX 1060 the king of mid ranged budget gaming PCs. Is this the best graphics card for gaming? Maybe, but again, depends on your budget. Because it is the best bang for your buck in this particular price range.

This is a bit of a tough one for gamers to get their heads around. Because it’s not quite the budget friendly mid range card that we were hoping for. Most of all the price is over the $350 mark. And it isn’t exactly knocking down the 1080’s door on the performance front either. Consequently where does it fit in?

Seems like this card could be the best way for a budget conscious gamer to future proof themselves. Because they’re opting not to buy a cheaper card such as the RX580 or GTX 1060. Therefore this will offer additional performance without breaking the bank.

That being said, a little extra in the budgeting department will help performance conscious gamers get in on the action. And this is a reasonably priced offer. Moreover, is it the best graphics card for gaming? No. However it is the best in it’s price bracket, that’s for sure.

As we head towards the upper segment of our round up, it is important to note that the higher end cards such as the GTX 1080 are highly overclockable. That being said they normally require a little bit of extra help to achieve stable temps and smooth performance.

Consequently that’s not to say that this isn’t an able contender in its own right. Moreover at stock frequencies this card is still a capable 4k ready gaming solution. Therefore it will not always be hitting the 60fps mark at such high resolutions. That being said, it is still a beast of a card at 1440p resolutions. And on high detail to boot.

Most of all for us we see that the prices on these cards are also starting to come down. As a result, we’re preparing for the next onslaught of high end enthusiast graphics cards later this year. Hence, if you are lucky, you could bag yourself one of these quick cards at a great price. In conclusion, is it the best graphics card for gaming? Maybe, but as usual, you guessed it – again like the other cards – it is the best for this price range.

Although this card has been around for a few months already, it has yet to be toppled from its throne as the king of beasts. That being said there is nothing that this card can’t handle at present. Moreover it cuts through 4k gaming at 60fps like a hot knife through butter.

Therefore, this is a great option for anyone with a UHD display. And those on multiple displays for that matter. Therefore it is likely to go unseated as the apex predator of the gaming food-chain anytime soon. Due to mainly the largely involved clock speeds max out at 1582Mhz. Even though it comes with stock cooling, the memory sits around 11Gbps straight out of the box.

As a result, if you are able to get hold of one of these amazing cards you will not be disappointed. In addition, due to 4K gaming and VR performance, it is unparalleled on this platform. Serious gamers need look no further than the GTX 1080 TI. Moreover it will fulfill all their high performance gaming needs. Let’s face it, this is the best graphics card for gaming currently available. However there’s more than just performance at stake here.

The Verdict – The best Graphics Card for Gaming

In a perfect world, the GTX 1080 TI would be the go to card on this list for any warm blooded PC gamer. Regardless of their gaming requirements. I would definitely opt for a GTX 1080 TI if I was in the market for another graphics card. And if I had an unlimited budget. I might even buy 2 of them.

However this is not always possible. Budget constraints are ultimately the deciding factor in many people’s PC builds. It is for this exact reason that we have a mid range enthusiast segment.

Therefore if you’re on a shoestring budget I could definitely recommend the GTX 1060 as a solid intermediate option. Most of all with effective cooling and 6GB of GDDR 5, you will not find this kind of gaming performance for the money anywhere else. Moreover it may not deliver the 4K gaming experience that some of the heavy hitters in this shoot out are capable of reaching. However it is still a balanced option for anyone seeking a compromise between quality and price. In conclusion, it has quiet noise levels when idle. And acceptable gaming performance when it kicks things up a notch in-game.

In conclusion, sometimes we need to find a middle ground. Because of that, the GTX 1060 is the right card to get you there. Therefore it is Amdology’s best graphics card for gaming based upon Value for your Dollar.

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